A rotation policy will be adopted for the proposed Irish round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) after the final three bidding places could not be separated during the two-day evaluation process.
Discussions will now take place on whether an agreement can be reached on which region will host the championship for the first time since 2009.
If this is not possible, a lottery system will be used.
Last Thursday and Friday, Motorsport Ireland President Aiden Harper visited the Kerry, Limerick and Waterford areas with colleagues and representatives from WRC Promoter GmbH.
During the evaluation tour, the delegation met with the Secretary of State, local county councilors, city authorities, senior staff from An Garda Síochána and staff from tourism organization Failte Ireland.
Mr Harper praised the professionalism, hard work, passion and hospitality of all three work groups.
Limerick Motor Club proposed that the international competition venue be operated from Limerick Racecourse, as it has the capacity to accommodate a 10,000 square meter service park, fan zone and media centre. The proposed special stage would take fans and teams to Clare, Galway, Tipperary and then Cork.
Munster Institute of Technology’s North Campus is the facility that members of Kerry Motor Club have pinned their hopes on, with former WRC navigator Paul Nagle supporting the business case. This optional route included closed roads including the iconic ‘Mole’s Gap’ and ‘Three Heads’.
The final three were achieved by a group from the south-east who identified the Quays area of Waterford City as a suitable location to host the four-day closed road competition.
Mr Harper said the announcement, made at Motorsport Ireland’s offices in Dawson Street, Dublin, on Tuesday morning, was an important step towards returning Ireland to the series, which is watched by 850 million people. Ta.
He added that all three bids had “unique aspects” and were both “exceptional” and “surprising”.
Putting aside issues of safety inspections, candidate stages and government funding, Mr Harper said: “It was an honor for me and the selection committee to witness the work of local clubs and volunteers who put together such a strong bid for a potential WRC rally.”Ireland from 2025 onwards.
“We have three world-class venues in Kerry, Limerick and the South East that are the ideal base for your event.
“Today’s announcement is clearly predicated on securing government funding, which is an ongoing process. reviewed by senior management.
“The three-year contract requires an investment of €15 million, but will generate a return of €300 million over three years, delivering significant benefits to the economies of the South West, Midwest and South East.”
Mr Harper believes the predicted prosperity from hosting WRC Rally Ireland over the first three years will pave the way for the country to be awarded a permanent spot.
When the WRC last came to Ireland in 2009, research by the University of Ulster showed it was worth £36 million and attracted more than 250,000 spectators.
The research also revealed that the average spend per audience member was almost £280.
“We are looking at a three-year contract, but we know that this country is more than capable of hosting world-class events. “I want to be like a world where the same thing happens over and over again, over and over again,” Harper added.
“So if we’ve had a very successful three years, once the promoter and the FIA review those three years, we hope it becomes an ongoing process.”
WRC Promoter Events Director Simon Larkin told Irish News Sport that Motorsport Ireland is aware of Motorsport Ireland’s desire to secure a place on the three-year FIA World Rally Championship calendar from as early as 2025. “We all look forward to discussing and debating,” he said. We are negotiating the next steps together. ”
A spokesperson for WRC Promoter GmbH added: “Ireland is a great country and teams from around the world have been looking forward to its return since Rally Ireland was last held in 2009.”
In recent months, attention has shifted south of the Irish border after a series of bids to host Rally Northern Ireland failed due to the absence of a devolved government.